Central Falls is a city measuring 1.29 square miles in the Providence County of Rhode Island. Before European settlers arrived in the early 1700s, it was populated by the Nipmuc, Wamponoag and Narragansett tribes. The proximity of the Blackstone River was an asset for not only food, but also power. In the 18th and part of the 19th century the area was a quiet and relatively unpopulated part of the Smithfield Town. The first chocolate mill in the United States, Slater Mill, was in Central Falls and gave it the nickname "Chocolateville" early on. As the 19th century progressed more mills moved to the area and created a growing population. Between 1824 and 1872 at least 7 large mills were established in the area and the workforce included thousands of employees. Many of the employees came from Ireland, Scotland and Canada and created a large influx of immigrants to the community.
Central Falls needed its own fire and police departments because of the unique growing population and industrialization occurring. In 1871 the state divided the Town of Smithfield into three towns, but the Town of Lincoln felt strained to support the Central Falls Fire-DIstrict. After a proposed merger with Pawtucket was defeated, Central Falls was classified as its own City. On March 18, 1895 the first mayor of the City, Charles Moies, took office. Central Falls continued to grow through industrialization for the next half century and became a more productive city. More recently Central Falls has had an influx of Latinos in the population and is an extremely diverse city.
The city of Central Fall has a population that is more diverse, and younger, than Rhode Island as a whole. The population of Central Falls has been steady for the last few years at approximately 19,400. Although the top three ethnic groups are the same both in the city and the state, the percentages of each ethnicity varies greatly. While 52.9% of Central Falls residents identified themselves as white in the 2010 census, 60.3% are Hispanic or Latino and 10.1% consider themselves Black or African American. That is compared to all Rhode Islanders, 81.4% who identified themselves as white, 12.4% as Hispanic or Latino and 5.7% as Black or African American. 41.3% of Central Falls residents were born in another country, while only 13% of Rhode Island residents were. Consider that 8.9% of its residents are under 5, compared to 5.5% in Rhode Island, while only 8.7% are over 65, compared to 14.4% state wide. Additionally, 29.1% or Central Falls residents are under 18, versus Rhode Island's 21.3%. The gender split is consistent with state numbers; 49.3% female, 50.7% male.
Education and language are other areas in which Central Falls varies greatly from state demographics. In Central Falls 71.5% of the households speak a language other than English, compared to 21% throughout Rhode Island. And while 84.8% of state residents are high school graduates or higher and 30.8% have a Bachelor's degree or higher, in Central Falls those numbers are 51.5% and 8.1% respectively.
The housing market and income are two areas where Central Falls lags behind the rest of the state. While 61.2% of Rhode Islanders own their home, which has a median price of $259,400, only 24.4% of those in Central Falls do.Those homes have a median value of $185,300. 88.3% of housing units are in multi-family dwellings in Central Falls, though only 40.7% statewide are multi-family. As for median household income. Central Falls lags behind the state at $29,268, compared with 56,102.
Central Falls Kids Count Evaluation
Central Falls contains the second highest population of Hispanics and Hispanics as an ethnic group have the highest poverty rate in Rhode Island. Central Falls also has the highest percentage of ELL students, as 27% of all children in Central Falls speak a first language other than English. The following are important and somewhat troubling statistics. Central Falls seems to be characterized by a high population of young Hispanic mothers, and higher crime rates on average.
37% of children witness domestic violence
3% of children are abused or neglected
7% of children are enrolled in Early Intervention.
Total Childcare Subsidies 276
65% of low-income children participate in school breakfast
median family income around 30,000
38 children identified as homeless by school personnel
71% of mothers are single
15% of those mothers are under 20
17.6% of mothers have delayed prenatal care
11.5% of births are preterm
37% of mothers have less than a high school diploma, the highest birth to mothers with less than a high school diploma
The majority of children in Central Falls from most to least are Latino, White and Black.
18.4% Child poverty rate
40.9% children under 18 living below the poverty level
5,531 children in Central Falls
49% of children live in single parent families
8% of children live with their grand parents
second highest delayed prenatal care
fifth highest amount of children with incarcerated parents
has a high domestic violence rate but is not among the highest
highest rate of teenage pregnancy
Second highest delayed prenatal care
second highest rate of children with asthma. highest is east providence
Central Falls needed its own fire and police departments because of the unique growing population and industrialization occurring. In 1871 the state divided the Town of Smithfield into three towns, but the Town of Lincoln felt strained to support the Central Falls Fire-DIstrict. After a proposed merger with Pawtucket was defeated, Central Falls was classified as its own City. On March 18, 1895 the first mayor of the City, Charles Moies, took office. Central Falls continued to grow through industrialization for the next half century and became a more productive city. More recently Central Falls has had an influx of Latinos in the population and is an extremely diverse city.
http://www.landsat.com/town-aerial-map/rhode-island/map/central-falls-ri-4414140.jpg:
http://centralfallsri.us/visitors/history/our-history/
http://centralfallsri.us/visitors/history/birth-of-industry/
The city of Central Fall has a population that is more diverse, and younger, than Rhode Island as a whole. The population of Central Falls has been steady for the last few years at approximately 19,400. Although the top three ethnic groups are the same both in the city and the state, the percentages of each ethnicity varies greatly. While 52.9% of Central Falls residents identified themselves as white in the 2010 census, 60.3% are Hispanic or Latino and 10.1% consider themselves Black or African American. That is compared to all Rhode Islanders, 81.4% who identified themselves as white, 12.4% as Hispanic or Latino and 5.7% as Black or African American. 41.3% of Central Falls residents were born in another country, while only 13% of Rhode Island residents were. Consider that 8.9% of its residents are under 5, compared to 5.5% in Rhode Island, while only 8.7% are over 65, compared to 14.4% state wide. Additionally, 29.1% or Central Falls residents are under 18, versus Rhode Island's 21.3%. The gender split is consistent with state numbers; 49.3% female, 50.7% male.
Education and language are other areas in which Central Falls varies greatly from state demographics. In Central Falls 71.5% of the households speak a language other than English, compared to 21% throughout Rhode Island. And while 84.8% of state residents are high school graduates or higher and 30.8% have a Bachelor's degree or higher, in Central Falls those numbers are 51.5% and 8.1% respectively.
The housing market and income are two areas where Central Falls lags behind the rest of the state. While 61.2% of Rhode Islanders own their home, which has a median price of $259,400, only 24.4% of those in Central Falls do.Those homes have a median value of $185,300. 88.3% of housing units are in multi-family dwellings in Central Falls, though only 40.7% statewide are multi-family. As for median household income. Central Falls lags behind the state at $29,268, compared with 56,102.
Central Falls Kids Count Evaluation
Central Falls contains the second highest population of Hispanics and Hispanics as an ethnic group have the highest poverty rate in Rhode Island. Central Falls also has the highest percentage of ELL students, as 27% of all children in Central Falls speak a first language other than English. The following are important and somewhat troubling statistics. Central Falls seems to be characterized by a high population of young Hispanic mothers, and higher crime rates on average.